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Soun: RCCG Pastor Promises To Embrace 3 Religion As He Becomes Chosen Oba

Published

4 years ago

April 3, 2022

AS the selection of Prince Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye, a Pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, as the new Soun of Ogbomoso land continues to generate controversy, the Head of the kingmakers in Ogbomoso, High Chief Sobaloju Otolorin, weekend, cleared the air, affirming that Olaoye is the next king of the ancient town.

He dismissed the claim by the Laoye Ruling House that the family had not selected anybody to fill the vacant stool, asserting that due process was followed in the selection of the crown prince.

Otolorin, who is also the Aare Ago of Ogbomoso, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen in Ogbomoso.

The Head of the Kingmakers said what was being insinuated in regards to the selection of Olaoye was far from the truth.

He, however, said he had promised, during the selection and interview exercise, to embrace the three religions, namely: Traditional, Christianity and Islam.

It would be recalled that the Chairman of the Screening Committee for the Laoye ruling house, Alhaji Abdulwahab Laoye, last Thursday, disclosed that the family had not selected anybody, and therefore, called on the public to disregard what he termed as a rumour.

Oba Jimoh Oyewumi, the late Soun of Ogbomoso, joined his ancestors, on Sunday, December 12, 2021, hence the need to select the new king among the 23 candidates to fill the vacant stool.

Otolorin, while speaking further said many factors were put into consideration before a name was arrived at, insisting that no kingmaker collected bribes from any candidate and that the kingmakers acted in the best interest of the town.

He pointed out that Prince Ghandi’s name was on the list of the 23 proposed by his family, noting that the denial now was a surprise.

The head of the kingmakers emphasized that neither religion nor bribery played any role in the selection, adding that it was not within the purview of any ruling house to screen out any candidate but to present to the kingmakers whoever showed interest.

Otolorin said what the family could have done was to encourage the aspirants to step down for each other before it got to the kingmakers, affirming that the family had no legal right to screen out any candidate except on a valid reason like maybe he is not a true born of the family or he has a deformity.

“The problem began when all members of their so-called screening committee put the names of their children and nephews forward, because of that they couldn’t resolve it.

“For instance, their Mogaji had three nominees, the family secretary had his child, another family head called Cashman had his nominee, and one Alhaji Wahab (Chairman of their screening committee) had his own, every one of them. That is why they couldn’t resolve it.

“So, they had 23 names which they brought to us and we asked them if all of them are eligible and they said yes, that was why they sold forms to all of them.

“They forwarded the names to the local government in accordance with the law and the council sent the list to us which we consequently considered with local government officers as observers.

“That is where the assignment of the family ends. We invited them one by one to interview them and we found useful information furnished by the family on each of them.

“The first question we threw at them is that you knew there was more than one religion being practised in Ogbomoso- Traditional, Christianity and Islam, whether they were ready to embrace the three religions. Each of them said yes.

“We also told them it was not a matter of saying l have N10 million in my account, it is beyond that. In the first place, the palace is now empty you have to replace everything from furniture to the last thing.

“In addition, we informed them there were many court cases pending, the burden of which you would shoulder for years, we let each of them know, that whoever would rise to the throne would have to be adequately prepared for the financial burden.

“Furthermore, there are staff in the palace, most of whom are not being paid by the government but by the late Oba. So, we told them this was an additional responsibility and they all agreed, yes.

“We further told them that on Fridays, members of the royal families and others did come to the palace to be feted by the late Oba that there won’t be government assistance. All this is documented by the local government officers who sat as observers.

“We now went through their CVs and seriously considered, who had the wherewithal to step into the gigantic shoes, we considered their profiles meticulously, this is not a matter of saying l am a pensioner.

“However, before this time, their screening committee members and other clans’ heads were trying to approach us to seek undue advantage for their preferred candidate. I was ready to swear with the Bible that Ghandi never came here. l never knew him. I spoke to him for the first time on the day of the interview and he even used a face mask.

“Though, on the day we held the eighth-day Fidau of late Baba Soun also came and some people pointed to him that was another eligible prince but he also used a face mask.

“And then he came with former President Olusegun Obasanjo when he came to pay a condolence visit on the demise of the late Oba and again he used a face mask, so I never knew him.

“I am saying categorically that what we did was not based on religion, if a Babalawo had the best profile we would have chosen him. We need someone who is capable financially and who has impressive clout, someone who will not be taken for granted in the comity of Obas, Ogbomoso is beyond that, we need someone who can hold his own among other Obas.

“Then they talked about the issue of Abese not voting. He caused it, personally, l didn’t know the government did not recognize him, he had not gotten approval since 2019. I didn’t know until now when the government said he could not sit with us because he is not recognized.

“I protested but they brought out the vouchers from 2019 and l saw “X” consistently marked against his name, implying he was not paid. They said if he was not recognized by the government, why would he be paid?

“So, l pleaded he should be allowed to sit as an observer along with the Iyalode who is not statutorily qualified to vote. They were allowed. So, we chose whom we chose and on the second day, we forwarded the name to the state government. It is now left in the hand of the government, we are through with our own assignment too.

“I now heard they are holding meetings they would come and burn my house, let them come. They tried to bribe us but we rebuffed them, we don’t need their money we will do what is right, we told them. If an Oba is crowned and he deems it fit to do anything for us we will be obliged to take it but not to be induced financially.

“We don’t want a situation where we won’t be able to check the Oba if he starts to indulge in excesses after his coronation because we had collected bribes. That is why we turned down their advances.

“We had chosen in the best interest of Ogbomosoland. They now went to hold a press conference, which is of no consequence. No ruling house has power in law to screen any aspirant, what they can do is to cajole, appeal and encourage their princes to step down for one another they can’t screen them.

“It is only the kingmakers that have the power to screen. And that we have done and submitted the name to the governor.

“They can say whatever they like, it is water under the bridge. If we collected money, would l be free to sit comfortably in my home like this? I didn’t collect money from anyone, it is an unfounded rumour.

“Let me repeat this, all the Laoye clans’ heads, came individually to solicit for their children and we did not oblige them. Ask them. And they all promised to abide by the outcome.

“Now they are saying Gandhi is not their child. You put together 23 names and his name was number 13, you sold the form to him and you interviewed him at the Town Hall. And you are now saying you don’t know him. Yet, his father contested the throne in the past though you didn’t support him.

“I just knew his father and l were together on the Board of Directors of the Ogbomoso Community Bank, he (Prince Oladunni Olaoye) was made the Chairman of the board after Alata left. It is some of them told me recently that that was his father, just recently, it is the same people that are now saying he is not of their family again. Everything is in the hands of God, if anyone says Balogun would not sit with us we would have said it’s not possible.

“I told them if you chose someone not financially capable l won’t contribute a kobo if asked to. How will an Oba ask me to make contributions? That is the truth l will not lie, l am a Catholic.

“What money would you take that you won’t be able to sleep because of a guilty conscience? What we need is a worthy Oba and it is what we did. The other capable person, Lawyer Oyetunde, his Yoruba is not fluent, you will think that it is a Ghanaian that is talking but based on his profile he is capable too.” He explained.

VANGUARD

Related Topics:new Soun RCCG Pastor Soun of Ogbomoso

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Edo Targets 2.2 Million Children For Measles, Rubella Vaccination

Published

2 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

The Edo State Government says it is targeting about 2.2 million children aged between 0 and 14 years for measles and rubella vaccination across the state.

The Director of Disease Control and Immunization at the Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Eseigbe Efeomon, who disclosed this during stakeholders’ sensitisation meeting in Benin City, said this would be done in collaboration with development partners.

Efeomon, while noting that the vaccination exercise scheduled to hold simultaneously from January 20 to January 30, 2026, across the 18 local government areas of Edo State at designated health facilities and temporary vaccination posts, said the campaign aims to contribute significantly to the reduction of measles and rubella in Nigeria.

He explained that achieving this target requires increased population immunity through sustained vaccination.

Dr. Efeomon stressed that only qualified and certified health workers would be recruited as vaccinators because the vaccines are injectable.

According to him, the vaccination strategy would involve fixed posts and temporary fixed posts, and vaccination cards would be issued to all vaccinated children as proof, which parents and caregivers are advised to keep for future reference.

He added that vaccination teams would visit schools, churches, mosques, markets, motor parks, internally displaced persons’ camps and other public places, while children who receive the vaccine would be finger-marked to prevent double vaccination.

He reiterated that the overarching goal of the campaign is to drastically reduce rubella incidence nationwide and protect children from preventable diseases through effective immunisation coverage.

Also speaking, the World Health Organization Local Government Facilitator, Mr. Ajaero Paul, described measles and rubella as major causes of death and congenital abnormalities among children globally.

He said both diseases are preventable through the measles-rubella vaccine, which he described as safe and effective,

He added that sustained advocacy is critical to reducing child mortality and lifelong disabilities.

On his part, UNICEF Social and Behavioural Change Health Officer, Yakubu Suleiman, emphasised that the measles-rubella vaccine is safe and effective for all children aged nine months to 14 years.

He stated that the government has fully paid for the vaccines, making them available at no cost to all eligible children in government health facilities across the state.

Suleiman explained that vaccination not only protects individual children but also safeguards communities from deadly vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and rubella.

He added that even children who had previously received the measles vaccine should still be given the measles-rubella vaccine and appealed to schools and other key stakeholders to support the campaign to ensure that no child is left behind.

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Togo, Niger, Benin Owe Nigeria Over $17.8m For Supplied Electricity – NERC

Published

6 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

Nigeria’s electricity regulator has disclosed that three neighbouring countries, Togo, Niger and Benin, are indebted to Nigeria to the tune of $17.8 million, equivalent to more than N25 billion at prevailing exchange rates, for power supplied under bilateral electricity agreements.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, made this known in its Third Quarter 2025 report, which reviewed market performance within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI.

According to the report, the international customers were billed a total of $18.69 million by the Market Operator for electricity supplied during the third quarter of 2025. However, only $7.125 million was paid, leaving an unpaid balance of $11.56 million for the period under review.

NERC also revealed that the same international offtakers had outstanding legacy debts amounting to $14.7 million from previous quarters. Of this amount, $7.84 million was settled, leaving a residual balance of $6.23 million.

When combined with the Q3 2025 shortfall, the total outstanding debt stood at $17.8 million, which translates to about N25.36 billion at an exchange rate of N1,425 to one US dollar.

The regulator identified the international electricity customers as Compagnie Énergie Électrique du Togo, Société Béninoise d’Énergie Électrique of Benin Republic, and Société Nigérienne d’Électricité of Niger Republic.

NERC stated that the three utilities collectively paid just $7.125 million against the $18.69 million invoice issued for electricity supplied in the third quarter, resulting in a remittance performance of 38.09 per cent.

This meant that more than half of the billed amount remained unpaid at the close of the quarter.

The commission explained that the electricity exported to the three countries was generated by grid-connected Nigerian generation companies and delivered through cross-border bilateral power supply arrangements.

By contrast, NERC reported a stronger payment performance among domestic bilateral customers. According to the report, local customers paid N3.19 billion out of the N3.64 billion invoiced for the same quarter, representing a remittance rate of 87.61 per cent.

The regulator further noted that some bilateral customers, both international and domestic, made additional payments to offset outstanding invoices from earlier quarters.

Specifically, the Market Operator received $7.84 million from international customers and N1.3 billion from domestic customers in settlement of previous obligations.

Beyond bilateral transactions, NERC disclosed that Nigeria’s 11 electricity distribution companies remitted a total of N381.29 billion to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc and the Market Operator in the third quarter of 2025. This was out of a cumulative invoice of N400.48 billion, translating to an overall remittance performance of 95.21 per cent.

The commission said the figures were derived from reconciled market settlement data submitted as of December 18, 2025, as part of its statutory evaluation of the commercial health and performance of the electricity market.

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Expert Identify Foods That Increase Hypertension Medication’s Effectiveness

Published

14 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

Hypertension remains one of the leading causes of premature death worldwide, contributing significantly to heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. Despite the availability of effective antihypertensive drugs, long-term control of high blood pressure is often challenging because of drug resistance, side effects, and poor adherence.

This has fueled growing scientific interest in complementary strategies that can enhance drug efficacy while minimising toxicity. One promising approach is the combination of conventional antihypertensive medications with herbs and spices in many kitchens.

Recent evidence suggests that augmenting modern antihypertensive drugs with foods rich in p-coumaric acid, a naturally occurring phenolic acid, may offer a novel and effective strategy for blood pressure control.

Phenolic compounds, commonly found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, are known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and blood vessel–protective properties.

In a study, researchers investigated the combined effects of lisinopril, a widely used antihypertensive drugs and p-coumaric acid on hypertension.

They reported in the Comparative Clinical Pathology that p-coumaric acid enhance the antihypertensive action of lisinopril, potentially allowing for improved blood pressure control without increasing drug dosage.

The study used an established animal model in which hypertension was induced in rats through oral administration of L-NAME, a compound known to suppress nitric oxide production and raise blood pressure.

Following the induction of hypertension, the animals were treated for 14 days with p-coumaric acid (at two different doses), lisinopril alone, or a combination of both.

Untreated hypertensive rats showed significantly elevated activities of key enzymes linked to high blood pressure such as ACE, arginase, acetylcholinesterase, and phosphodiesterase-5 along with increased lipid peroxidation, an indicator of oxidative stress. At the same time, levels of nitric oxide, a critical molecule for blood vessel relaxation, were markedly reduced.

By contrast, rats treated with a combination of lisinopril and p-coumaric acid experienced notable improvements. Blood pressure was better controlled; harmful enzyme activities were reduced, oxidative stress declined, and nitric oxide levels increased. These improvements were mirrored in the tissues the heart compared with untreated hypertensive animals.

They said that the findings suggest that p-coumaric acid may enhance the antihypertensive action of lisinopril, potentially allowing for improved blood pressure control without increasing drug dosage.

This drug–food interaction model is particularly important in the circumstance of long-term hypertension management. Many patients rely on lifelong medication, and strategies that can improve treatment outcomes while reducing side effects are highly desirable.

The study also reinforces the growing recognition that diet is not merely supportive but can be biologically active in disease control.

The use of medicinal plants and plant-based therapies in the management of hypertension is deeply rooted in traditional medicine across many cultures. While such practices have often existed outside conventional healthcare systems, modern scientific research is now providing evidence-based explanations for their effectiveness.

While these findings are based on animal studies and cannot yet be directly translated into clinical recommendations for humans, they open the door to future research on dietary strategies that can safely complement antihypertensive drugs.

Further clinical studies are needed to determine appropriate dosages, safety profiles, and real-world effectiveness.

In the fight against hypertension, the future may lie not only in new drugs, but also in smarter combinations, where medicine and nutrition work together to deliver better, safer outcomes for patients.

Such nutrition to help maintain healthy blood pressure includes garlic, potatoes, walnuts,tomato and tomato products, legumes and citrus fruits (grapefruits and oranges).
(TRIBUNE)